Best DSLRs 2016

Best DSLRs 2016 - Our pick of the very best Digital SLRs currently on the market.

Looking to bag yourself a new digital SLR – or DSLR as they’re more commonly referred to – but confused by the multitude of options? Let us guide you through the market with our selection of the best DSLRs in 2016.

From budget entry-level DSLRs to mid-priced enthusiast models and advanced semi-pro cameras, our definitive list of the best DSLRs in 2016 will help you to narrow down your search, and make sure you get the best value at your budget.

The K-S2 continues Pentax’s tradition of offering affordable yet well-specified cameras. Intuitively designed, featuring a generous viewfinder and impressive control setup, it’s a very pleasing DSLR to use – on top of a 20.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor and impressive ISO range.

Coupling this range of features with the extensive range of compatible Pentax K mount lenses available results in a great camera that represents excellent value.

Replacing its popular predecessor, the D7100, the Nikon D7200 hosts a plethora of great features. These include a fantastic build quality and a wide range of controls, alongside Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity and 24.2MP APS-C sensor – but the real standout features are the 51-point focus points coupled with a Multi Cam 3500 II autofocusing system.

It’s this speed and versatility that make the series so popular with wildlife and sports photographers and, as a very solid performer all round, the D7200 certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Targeted squarely at the enthusiast – especially those with an interest in wildlife or action – the EOS 7D Mark II is a DSLR five years in the making. It features a solid 20.2MP sensor that gives a good performance at relatively high ISO levels.

Where it excels, though, is in its build, handling and autofocusing system. The body is robust and a pleasure to use, while the control layout is intuitive and the new 65-point autofocus system renders it perfect for wildlife and sports photographers looking to invest in a serious piece of kit.

With a host of neat features, including a 24.3-million-pixel sensor, Wi-Fi connectivity and an impressive array of video enhancements carried over from its stablemates, the D610 and D810, the D750 is an enthusiast DSLR smattered with some eyebrow-raising professional standard specifications.

It covers off all the features that are likely to appear on an enthusiast’s wish-list and has a similar design to Nikon’s entry-level DSLRS, ensuring that upgrading photographers should feel right at home.

Following in the footsteps of the Mk II (a camera voted by AP readers as the greatest of all time), the Mk III continues the EOS 5D tradition, addressing some of the signs of age that its older sibling might be starting to show. Canon has fitted the Mark III model with a 22.3-million-pixel CMOS sensor, as well as 61-point AF and 63-zone metering systems, and a host of other refinements.

Appealing to a wide variety of photographers with its versatility and competitive price-point, the 5D Mk III is really quite hard to fault.

When the D810 was first announced, Nikon touted it as having the best image quality of any DSLR of its class – which, while a lofty claim, may well have been true. Its 36.3-million-pixel full-frame sensor and lack of optical low-pass filter resolves a stunning level of detail.

Coupled with a fast 51-point AF system and an array of video features, there aren’t many photographers who won’t be well-serviced by the D810.

Based physically on the tried-and-tested Canon EOS 5D Mk III design, the 5DS R is among the highest resolution full-frame DSLRs on the market. It features a 50.6-million-pixel full-frame sensor, 61-point autofocus and metering systems that both work exceptionally well, so creating sharp, well-exposed images is a breeze, particularly when in the studio.

Using such a sensor effectively does require investing in quality lenses and large, fast memory cards but the result is absolutely stunning image quality, particularly in good light.

While the hefty price of the 645Z is undoubtedly out of the reach of most photographers, it is probably the most affordable medium-format camera on the market.

For your investment you get a 51.4MP, 44 x 33mm sensor, which is capable of resolving an astonishing amount of detail and with an impressive dynamic range – perfect if you’re looking to take the step in to high-end studio work.